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Hamas Releases Palestinian Faction Official in Gaza | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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GAZA (AFP) – The Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip said on Monday they released the spokesman of a faction detained after the group fired rockets on Israel last week in breach of a fragile truce.

Mohammed Abu Irmana, also known as Abu Qusai, was released during the night “after being held for several hours,” the Hamas government said in a statement.

“An investigation was conducted into a number of questions, including the instigators of a violation of hte truce and those responsible for firing rockets at Israel,” it said.

Abu Irmana is a spokesman for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which claimed responsibility for two rocket attacks against southern Israel on Thursday.

The group is loosely linked to the Fatah party of secular Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in June 2007 by ousting forces loyal to Abbas, has said it would arrest anyone who violates the truce with Israel that went into effect on June 19 after weeks of Egyptian mediation.